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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · last · wax · pitch · capital · key · wave · bound

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. key — in music
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bound — obliged
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. last — finally
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bound — tied together
  9. last — to go on
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bound — certain
  15. capital — a city
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. last — final
  20. wax — to grow
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. capital — money
  23. pitch — completely
  24. wave — of the sea

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com